Jasper's Deaf Mate (Twilight Saga)
by JasperMate1863
Summary: Serena is Bella Swan's deaf 16 year old little sister, who dislikes nothing more than hearing people. What would happen when she meets Jasper Hale, the only hearing person that gave Serena his time and energy? Would Serena accept the fact that he can hear, or would she continue pushing him away like she does to everyone else? How will Serena react to finding out Jasper's Secret?
1. (Twilight) PREFACE

I had never given much thought to how I would die. I mean, one of the top fears known to man is death, but I don't think I have ever thought about it. Even through the years of torment from others, which could unusually lead to thoughts of suicide, death has never once crossed my mind. Well, until now.

I stared, with my heart thumping at a million miles an hour, across the large room of mirrors into the dark crimson eyes of the beast crouched in front of me. The feeling of terror ran across my eyes, as the beast stared back at me with a smirk, thinking about what he was about to do.


	2. (1) WELCOME TO FORKS

**Before you get confused, when you see** **"…", it means the person is talking and when you see '…', it means the person is using sign language. If the words are in italics, then it means they wrote those words. If the words are underlined in between "…", it means someone is interpreting what they said, and if it is underlined in between '…', then the person is talking and signing.**

The smoldering sun attacked me as I slowly exited the only home a remember living in to move in with my father, who I have never met. My father, Charlie, lives in Forks, Washington which will be my new home for the rest of my high school career. Even though I am excited to meet my father, I am freaked out by everything else, especially going to a hearing school. You see, I was born deaf to hearing parents, so going to a school that does not sign, much less understand my language, ASL, is kind of scary. The last time I went to a hearing school, I was in kindergarten and everyone was mean and cruel. My first year in school was the worst memories I…

My mom gently shakes my shoulder to gain my attention, interrupting me from my thoughts. I look to her as she signs, 'We are about to leave, so you can start getting in the car.' Right after she stops signing, she engulfs me in a hug and plants a small kiss on my cheek before doing the same to Bella. Another reason for my fear of moving to Forks is that I have never been without my mom. Bella has taken month long trips every summer to see dad when she was younger, but I never went along. I know I have Bella, but I fear trying to settle down in the small town without my mother's support.

As I walk toward the car, I see Bella, in the corner of my eye, soaking in as much of sunlight as she can get. I understand how she feels, probably more then she does because we all know that Forks rarely gets sunlight with all the raining that happens there. At least, Bella has the experience of being in the constant cover of rain clouds at least for some time. I will be completely new to this.

Phil waves his hands in the air while saying, "Guys, I love you all, but we got a plane to catch." I followed Bella into the back of the dirty grey car and closed the door. When my mother was getting into the passenger seat, I looked out the window to give a final goodbye. I really am going to miss this place, especially since I have a feeling we will never see this place again. Goodbye, house of my childhood. Goodbye, heat of Phoenix, Arizona. Hello, Forks, Washington.

Phil pressed on the gas to take us to the airport, which will take about twenty, so I looked over at Bella to ask her something, but she was busy reading Wuthering Heights again. I think she has read that book over a hundred times. Don't get me wrong. I love to read, but I read different books. Bella has found an interest in reading the same book repeatedly. Well, the only reason I found a love for reading is because when mom, Bella, and I are out in public, I use me being distracting with my book as an excuse for me not being interested in talking to anyone. If only I knew about that trick in Kindergarten.

Being deaf was not a problem because that is all I knew since I was born deaf. Even with mom and Bella, they treated me like I was normal. So, the first time I fully realized that I was not normal was my first day of Kindergarten. I walked into the harsh reality that not everyone is like my family.

Once we got to the airport, mom would not stop convincing us not to go through with going to forks. I don't know Bella's reason for wanting to come to forks since I know she hates forks, but I really want to meet my dad. Before we went our separate ways, Bella and I hugged mom goodbye. Bella grabbed my hand and we made our way onto the plane and sat in our assigned seats.

Before Bella could take out her book, I signed to her, 'What is Forks like? And Dad, what is dad like?

Bella laughed and responded, 'Forks, a small town in the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington state, exists under a near-constant cover of clouds and rain. So, the complete opposite of Phoenix. And dad is, basically, opposite of mom. You know how mom is outgoing, well dad is a little socially awkward, kind of like me.'

For hours, Bella and I talked, or well signed, about our new lives in forks, Washington. I looked outside and noticed that the surroundings have changed. Instead of the usual sand and cactus everywhere, there was a lot of trees and it was raining. I was so happy when the plane started to land, because I was closer to meeting my dad. Bella, on the other hand, did not look as happy as I did.

It did not take long to unload the plane and find our way to the front of the airport. Bella went up to a man, who I have only seen in pictures, and gave him an awkward, one armed hug. He turned around with a smile on his face and gave me a same awkward hug just given to Bella. Probably even more awkward since he has also never met me.

We quickly walked to my father's police cruiser. Didn't I tell you that my father is in law enforcement. No? Well, to every citizen of the good town of Forks, my father is known as chief Swan. I would rather not be driven in a police cruiser because everyone notices when a policeman is on the road, which is why Bella and I are splitting the price of a new car to drive to school in.

Anyway, it took us about an hour to get to the house, and even a deaf person, like myself, could feel the intense awkwardness and complete silence. I kept looking at Bella's and my father's lips, but their lips are barley moving. The only think that they said was when dad said something about hair and Bella responded something I did not really catch. I can never read Bella's lips because she never opens her mouth enough for me to understand, neither does Charlie. It is a good thing Bella knows sign language.

For most of the ride, I started out the window to look at this mystery world of green. Everything was green: the trees, their trunks covered with moss, their branches hanging with a canopy of it, the ground covered with ferns. Even the air filtered down greenly through the leaves. Even though before I was scared of this unknown atmosphere, now that I am face to face with it, it does not seem that bad. Actually, everything is so beautiful.

Right when we pulled into the drive way of my new house, I barged out of the car and ran up to the door. I quickly went in and twirled around trying to change the atmosphere to something it likely never knew: excitement and fun.

A few seconds later dad and Bella came into the house with all our suitcases. I grabbed my sapphire suitcases and followed my dad up the stairs to my bedroom. Since dad never learned sign language, Bella translated for me, "This is only a two-bedroom house and Bella's old room is not big enough for the both of you, so I cleaned out the attic and fixed it up for you." In between Bella's and dad's room, dad pulled down a latter that lead up to the attic, aka my future bedroom.

I climbed up into the attic and was shocked at what I saw. The bedroom was amazing. The wooden floor, the teal green walls, the peaked ceiling, the white lace curtains partly hiding the bay window with different shaded green pillows. The only furniture was a queen-sized bed with white sheets, a dresser, and a desk to do homework on.

Someone tapped on my shoulder freaking me out, so I turned around quickly, but it was just my dad. He said something like, "Sales lady bought… blanket and… sheets. Is … anything… need?" I shook my head no and he left without saying another word.

I jumped into my bed to have a nap, but Bella came into my room signing 'There are people in the front of the house. Do you want to come outside to meet them or...'

I signed, 'Sure, I guess.' I got out of my bed and followed Bella outside. I saw a group of people next to an old, dusty, red truck.

When dad noticed that we were here, he said while Bella translated, "Bella, Serena, you remember Billy Black." He gestured toward a guy in a wheel chair.

I did not know who he was, but Bella seemed to know because she said and signed, 'Yeah, wow your looking good.'

He laughed and said, "Well, I'm still dancing. I'm glad your finally here. Charlie has not shut up about it, since he told us you were coming." He said more but I did not understand anything else.

Dad seemed really annoyed and said, "Alright keep exaggerating." He turned his back to me, but he continued, "or I'll roll you into the mud."

Billy started laughing and moved toward dad while saying, "After I ram you in the ankles." They moved into the street and started chasing each other.

A boy looking like Billy but younger and with long hair that passed his neck. He came up to us and said, "Hi, I'm Jacob. We used to make mud pie when we were little."

Bella said, 'Oh right I remember. Are they always like this?' and Jacob responded, "It's getting worse with old age."

Dad and Billy came back from fighting with each other and dad said, "So what do you think." He looked at the truck and said, "Your Homecoming present." I did not get the rest, because Bella stopped translating, but this is so cool. Now would not be faced with the choice of either walking two miles in the rain to school or accepting a ride in the Chief's cruiser.

Jacob said something I did not understand looking at the red truck.

Bella turned her back to me and opened the truck door, which slammed into Jacob making me laugh. As I leaned against the truck while looking through the window, I saw Jacob sitting in the passenger seat. I tried to read their lips, but I understood nothing until the truck's engine started. Since Bella turned her head I could not get what she said, but Jacob responded with, "I go to school on the reservation." They continued to talk to each other, but I left because I knew that I was not going to get much out of the conversation. Not too long after I went inside, Bella and dad also come back inside I watched Bella walk into her room and close the door, before I climb up into my bedroom to get some sleep for the big day tomorrow.


	3. (2) FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

**Before you get confused, when you see "...", it means the person is talking and when you see '...', it means the person is using sign language. If the words are in italics, then it means they wrote those words. If the words are underlined in between "...", it means someone is interpreting what they said, and if it is underlined in between '...', then the person is talking and signing.**

Today is the first day of school. "Yeah!", note the sarcasm when I say that. No, I am not happy or excited for this. Today is going to be filled with confusion and loneliness, just like kindergarten.

Forks high school had a frightening total of three hundred and fifty-seven (now fifty-eight) hearing students. All the kids here had grown up together, and their grandparents had been toddlers together. I would be the new girl from the big city, a curiosity, a freak. Not only am I the new girl, but I am also deaf. So, you would have to multiply the amount of attention Bella will get for being the new girl by a thousand for being the new deaf girl.

At home, I went to a deaf school. Everyone there knew sign language and it was so much easier to understand what is going on. Today, I will try to understand the teachers, but likely will not have as much luck as I hope, even with the interpreter forced on me. Good luck to me.

Right when I climbed down from my room, Bella came out of her room signing, 'We are leaving in about 5 minutes, so we can have enough time to get to the office and make it to our first class on time.' I nodded my head and went down stairs for breakfast, since I already finished getting dressed in my usual outfit, which includes a white t-shirt, dark blue ripped skinny jeans, brown fold over combat boots, and grey cardigan that passes my knees.

Since dad left for work, and Bella already ate her breakfast, I made myself a bowl of Cheerios. While I ate my breakfast, I sat at the old square oak table in one of the three non-matching chairs and examined his small kitchen, with it dark paneled walls, bright yellow cabinets, and white linoleum floor. Over the small fire-place in the adjoining handkerchief-sized family room was a row of pictures. First a wedding picture of my mom and dad in Las Vegas, then one of mom, dad, and Bella in the hospital after Bella was born, followed by the procession of Bella and I's school pictures up to last years. Since mom never talked about her time with my dad, I always believed he never cared about us, but these pictures show I'm been wrong about him.

Right when I dumped my bowl in the sink, Bella came downstairs and signed, 'Lets go to school." I nodded and went outside after grabbing my gray messenger bag.

Even though it was drizzling, I stopped to stare at the beautiful scenery around me. I noticed how the many small drops of water on the plants made them look even more beautiful than they were before. So, I took out my camera and shot a few pictures before getting into the truck that smelled of tobacco, gasoline, and peppermint. I love photography, especially since it one of the things I can do without needing my hearing in anyway. I am constantly taking pictures of everything around me.

As we drove to school, I watched the rain splatter against the truck window looking like fireworks exploding in the night sky. I don't understand why Bella hates the rain so much. I could sit here all day just watching it through the window.

When we pulled into the school, I noticed it looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-colored bricks. I could not see its full size at first, because of the many trees and shrubs in the way.

Once we pulled into the student parking lot, I noticed that a lot of the cars there were semi old, except for a jeep and a shiny Volvo that were parked right next to each other. Everywhere I look there are people just staring at the unfamiliar vehicle. I guess that is what happens when you're the new kids starting in March, which is in the middle of the second semester.

When we made our way to the office building, a saw a lot of people laughing or just plain out staring. I ended up just looking at the ground while following Bella to the front office. An advantage of being deaf, if I can keep from looking at them then I can just pretend that it is not happening.

I followed Bella along a little stone path outlined with dark hedges, and inside the brightly lit building. The office was small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers tapped to its front. Behind the counter was a large, red haired woman wearing glasses.

The red-haired woman looked up. "Can I help you?" Bella interpreted.

'I am Isabella swan, and this is my little sister, Serena,' Bella informed her, and I saw the immediate awareness light her eyes. She dug through a precariously stacked pile of documents on her desk till she found the ones she was looking for. She brought several sheets to the counter to show us, while saying, "I have your schedule right, and a map of the school." For each of us, she went through the classes, highlighted the best route to each on the map, and gave us each a slip to have each teacher sign, which we were to bring back after getting all signatures. Before we left, the woman said directed toward me, "Serena, there will be an interpreter in all of your classes. I hope you both have a great day."

I looked at my schedule and Bella's schedule and they looked like this...

Serena's Schedule  
1st Block: English 2  
2nd Block: Photography

3rd Block: Gym

Lunch  
4th Block: Biology

5th Block: U.S. History

6th Block: Art

Bella's schedule  
1st Block: Gym  
2nd Block: English 3  
3rd Block: Spanish

Lunch  
4th Block: Biology

5th Block: Creative Writing

6th Block: Trig

We have two classes together which would seem strange since I am a sophomore and Bella is a junior, but I am smart and skipped some classes at my old school.

We were trying to find our classes, when I boy with skin problems and hair black as on oil slick walked up to us and said, "You're Isabella and Serena Swan, the new girls. Hi, I'm Eric, The eyes and ears of this place. Anything you need tour guide, lunch date, shoulder to cry on." He looked like the overly helpful, chess club type.

Bella said, 'We are more of the suffer in silence type,' which Eric responded with, "Good headline for the paper. I'm on the paper. You both are news, baby, front page."

Bella quickly says, 'No, I'm not. Please don't have any sort of…'

Eric say, "whoa, chillax no feature, cool. Hey, how about you Serena?" I shook my head no. He response with an, "Ok."

When he left, Bella said, 'The bell just rang. Are you fine going to English on your own?'

I signed back, 'Yeah. I'll find it. It should not be too hard with how small this school is. See you at lunch.'

I watched her make her way to the gym before I looked at both my schedule and map to find my English class. It was not too hard to find once I figured out where I was located on the map. The first thing I did, when I walked into the classroom, was walk to the teacher's desk to show him my notebook I previously wrote in _My name is Serena and I am new to this class. I just wanted to ask if there are any material I need or a specific desk for me to sit at._ The teacher handed me a packet of papers and said, "… empty sit… here." I nodded and sat down in a desk he pointed to which was in the front.

The interpreter sat down in a chair in front of me and signed everything the teacher said. I tried to take notes, but going between looking at the board, to my interpreter, and my notebook to write the information, I quickly got lost. The interpreter stopped signing and got up from his sit and so did the other students, so I assumed the bell rang. I collected my things and made my way toward my next class: Photography.

Mom or dad must have told the school to put me in this course, since they knew I would want to take it. When I entered the classroom, I did not see a teacher, so I just sat down in an empty seat in the front row, in front of my interpreter, waiting for class to begin.

When the teacher finally walked in the classroom, she started class. She said, "We are starting a new project that is due by the end of the week. I will be passing out the papers with the directions of this project. Today, you will brainstorm your idea's, so you can start with your camera as soon as you can." She grabbed a stake of papers from her desk and passed them out to everyone, then she came over to my desk, handed me a paper, and said, "This is everything you need to know for this class." Then she walked back to her desk and started using her computer.

For the rest of the block, I looked over the rules and the needed information. It was a lot that I needed to know, but I found it way better than my old school's photography class. None the less, this class is not good enough to overcome all the bad things this town offers. I start to put my materials in my bag, like everyone else and took out the map to memorize the route to the cafeteria from here.

I was about to get up to leave, but a person slid a note in front of me and left the classroom laughing. Confused I opened it up, and it read…

 _You are so stupid, deaf freak. Why are you even allowed in school?_

I crumbled the paper up and threw it away. Before tears could form in my eyes, I started running to the cafeteria, where Bella should be. My mind was so caught up with the note, I was not paying attention to people around me, and I bumped into someone with blond hair causing me to fall backwards. He helped me up and when I looked at him, I noticed that he looked like the handsomest boy I have ever seen. He was pale with blond wavy hair, with strange golden eyes. He and tall and lean, but still muscular. There were more pretty people with him but none of them were as beautiful as him. I could not take my eyes off him and he seemed to not be able to do the same.

Stop, what are you thinking? He is hearing and will never be with you. All hearing people are the same. I let go of his arm and continued to run to the cafeteria. I saw Bella at a table with two other girls, who looked like the exact opposite of her. Wow, Bella made friends.

I quickly sat in a chair next to her and looked up at her friends. They looked at Bella like she said something, then the girls looked behind them to see the group of people I ran into earlier walking in.

The girl closest to Bella said, "The Cullen's, their Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's foster kids. They moved here from Alaska a few years ago." She turned to look at them.

The other girl said, "They… keep to themselves."

The first girl turned back and interrupted, "Cause their altogether. Like, together together. The blond girl that's Rosalie and the big dark hair guy Emmett, they're like a thing. I'm not even sure that's legal."

The other girl said, "Jess, they're not actually related."

Jess said, "Angela, they live together, it's weird. And... ok. The little dark-haired girl is Alice. She is really weird. And she is with Logan, the other dark hair guy. Dr. Cullen is like this foster father slash matchmaker."

Angela said, "Maybe he will adopt me." Bella looked back towards the door where a guy with bronze hair and the blond-haired guy I bumped into walked in.

When Jess saw them walk in, her smile got bigger. Someone has a crush. She said, "That's Edward Cullen and Jasper Hale. Edward has bronze hair and Jasper is the blond that looks like he is in pain. Their totally gorgeous obviously. But apparently, no one here is good enough for them. Like I care. Seriously don't waste your time." Sure, she doesn't care.

I noticed that Bella keeps looking back at Edward who is staring back at her. I even notice Jasper looking at me, but I don't look long enough to tell if he is staring.

Bella gets up and points to the ceiling telling me the bell rang. Since Bella and I both have Biology next, I chose to just follow her there, but a boy comes up to us and says toward me, "You must be Serena. My name is Mike, and can I lead you both to your next class."

Bella said, "Sure, we both have biology next." Mike lead us to the class and I guess started to talk to the teacher. I could not understand the teacher especially since he had his head down so I could not see his lips well. He handed me a workbook and I sat down in the sit in front of my interpreter, which happed to be right next to Jasper. Once I sat down in the seat, I noticed Jasper go rigid in his seat. He stared at me again, meeting my eyes with the strangest expression on his face — it was hostile, furious. His eyes were now black — coal black, and he was leaning away from me, sitting on the extreme edge of his chair, averting his face like smelled something bad.

The teacher started passed out two clear jars with something inside, all I noticed was Jasper staring at me, so I tried to just ignore him by paying attention to the lecture. Unfortunately, the lecture was on cellular anatomy, something I have already studied at my old school.

For some reason, I could not keep myself from peeking occasionally at the strange boy next to me. During the whole class, he never relaxed his stiff position on the edge of his chair. I could see his hand on his left leg was clenched into a fist, tendons standing out under his pale skin. This, too, he never relaxed. He continued to sit so still, it looked like he was not breathing. What was wrong with him?

I peeked up at him one more time and regretted it. He was glaring down at me again, his black eyes full of revulsion. As I flinched from him, shrinking against my chair, the phrase _if looks could kill_ suddenly ran through my mind.

Jasper Hale sprung out of his seat, making me flinch even deeper into my seat. Fluidly, he rose his back to me, and he was out the door before anyone else was out of their seats. When everyone was leaving the room, I turned toward Bella to see that she was mad about something. I walked up to her and asked, 'What's wrong?'

She did not answer and walked out of the room. I stood there for about 3 seconds before making my way to my next class: U.S. History. The class was the same as biology. Me being confused while sitting next to Jasper. In my final class of the day, which is art, the real teacher was not going to be there for the rest of the week, so I just finished my homework for my other classes. When the class ended, I was so happy that I ran all the way to the office to meet up with Bella to go home.

I quickly stopped where I was, because Edward barged out with Jasper following him with piercing, hate-filled eyes. For an instant, I felt a thrill of genuine fear, raising the hair on my arms. When I walked in to the office, Bella looked super mad again. Bella and I gave our slips to the office and we headed to Bella's truck. What is wrong with the boys of the Cullen family?

When Bella started the truck to take us to Carver Cafe to eat dinner with our dad, I brought my knees up to my chest and rested my head on them while fighting back tears of the horrible day I had. I just knew this school was going to be the same as when I was in kindergarten.

Once we got to the cafe, I quickly wiped away any sign that I was crying and got out of the truck to join dad for dinner. We sat at a table in the back corner near large windows. When we sat down, an African American woman, with Cora on her name tag, came up to our table to give us our food, while saying, "I can't believe how grown up you are and so gorgeous, both of you." I smiled at her.

A man wearing a leather jacket came up behind Cora and said, "Hay, Bella. Do you remember me? I played Santa one year." I could not tell if Bella remembered him or not, but the man was really hoping she remembered.

Since Bella did not seem like she was going to respond, Dad intervened while looking at Bella, "Yeah, Waylon, she has not had a Christmas here since she was four."

Waylon said, "I met I made an impression though, didn't I?" which Dad responded with, "You always do."

Cora looked at Bella on the verge of laughter and said, "Butt-crack Santa." Those words made everyone start laughing, including me.

He said looking at Cora, "Kids love those little bottles though."

Cora shooed him off, looked back at us, and said, "As soon as you're done, I will bring you your favorite: Berry Cobbler, remember. Your dad still has it every Thursday."

After she left, I started eating my food, which was a garden burger, just like Bella got. For the rest of dinner, there was very few words shared, except for the little conversation made when Cora brought us the Berry Cobbler.

When we got home, I went straight to my room to go to sleep, but I ended up just laying on my bed thinking about what happened during school, which was mostly on Jasper. Normally, I would say he was acting like that because of him not wanting to sit next to the deaf girl, even though he seemed to do it to the extreme, but his brother did the same to Bella, so I know that is not the case. I don't know.

I spent another hour thinking about Jasper, before I finally fell asleep.

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	4. (3) MEETING JASPER HALE

**Before you get confused, when you see "...", it means the person is talking and when you see '...', it means the person is using sign language. If the words are in italics, then it means they wrote those words. If the words are underlined in between "...", it means someone is interpreting what they said, and if it is underlined in between '...', then the person is talking and signing.**

The next day was better… and worse. Mostly because I knew what to expect of my day. I finally got a handle on my class schedule, and I am finally getting the hang of having an interpreter in my classes. It was easier, because the staring from the students were minimized a lot. Now people only stared at me when we are in class, because of the interpreter. Thanks to Bella, I sat with a big group at lunch that included Mike, Eric, Jessica, and several other people whose names and faces I now remembered. Slowly, but surely, this school is becoming slightly tolerable.

It was worse, because Ms. Smith called on me in English, which is my worst subject, and I had the wrong answer. It was miserable, because I had to play volleyball, and the one time I did not cringe out of the way of the ball, I hit my teammate in the head with it. And it was worse, because Jasper Hale was not in school at all.

Usually I would not care about hearing kids, but this one was different. Trust me, I have had my fair share of being treated like a freak because of my deafness, but no one has ever acted like him before. All morning, I was dreading lunch, fearing his bizarre glares. Part of me wanted to confront him and demand to know what his problem was. While I was lying in my bed, I even imagined what I would say. But I knew myself too well to think I would really have the guts to do it. Besides, I would have to get Bella to interpret, and I don't think she has the guts to do it either.

But when I walked into the cafeteria, trying to keep my eyes from sweeping the place for him, and failing entirely, I saw his four siblings of sorts were sitting together at the same table, and he was not with them, neither was Edward.

After getting my lunch, I sat down next to Bella trying desperately to concentrate on eating instead of waiting nervously for the moment he would walk through the doors. I hoped he would ignore me when he came and prove my suspicion false, but he did not come making me more tense as time went by.

The rest of the week was uneventful. I got used to the routine of my classes. By Friday, I was able to recognize, if not name, almost all the students at school. In gym, the kids on my team learned not to pass me the ball and to step in front of me if the other team tried to take advantage of my weakness. I happily stated out of their way.

Jasper and Edward did not come back to school.

Every day, I watched anxiously until the rest of the Cullen's entered the cafeteria without them. I don't know what has gone over me. I used to despise hearing people, and now I am completely obsessing over one. I tried not to think about him, but I cannot help but think I am the reason for his continuous absences, as ridiculous as it seems. I mean, it's not a coincidence that the day right after we meet, he does not show up.

My first weekend in Forks passed without incident. Dad, unused to spending time in the usual empty house, worked most of the weekend. I helped Bella clean the house, wrote my mom more emails, and got a lot of homework done. Bella stayed to herself most of the time, but we did get some sister bonding time. I found out that as much as I was obsessed with Jasper, Bella was the same about Edward.

As Monday morning came and school began, I started feeling a lot more comfortable here. More comfortable than I ever expected to feel here. It was colder this morning, but sadly not raining. I generally did not like the cold, but the rain made it tolerable. So, I hated days that it was cold without rain. In English, we had a pop quiz on the novel _A Thousand Splendid Suns_ by Khaled Hosseini. It was straightforward, but I am not sure how my writing came out. I can read just fine, fantastic in fact. The hard part of English is the writing. ASL and English have different grammar, so writing with the English grammar is difficult when you barely ever use it in your everyday life.

When we walked out of class, the air was full of swirling bits of white. I saw people shouting excitedly at each other. The wind bit at my cheeks, and my nose. Bella, who suddenly showed up beside me signed, 'It's snowing.' I looked at the little cotton fluffs that were building up along the sidewalk and swirling erratically past my face. Before Bella could pull me inside the nearest building, I quickly took my camera out and took several pictures of the snow.

Throughout the morning, everyone chattered excitedly about the snow; apparently it was the first snowfall of the new year. When my next two classes ended, I made my way to meet up with Bella in the cafeteria. Before I made it to the cafeteria, I noticed many mush balls flying everywhere. Everyone was having so much fun that I had to capture it with my camera. As I walked in through the double doors to the cafeteria, I glanced, out of instinct, toward the Cullen's table in the corner. But I was shocked to see six people at the table. Jasper and Edward were back in school.

Suddenly not feeling hungry, I go sit next to Bella, who only got a soda. After taking a sip from her soda, Bella turns to me and signs, 'Their back.' I nodded to her and turned to focus on the other kids so I don't turn around, but out of curiosity, I decide to permit myself one glance at the Cullen family's table.

I kept my head down and glance up under my lashes, so they would not know if they were glaring at me, but none of them were looking at me, so I lifted my head a little.

They were laughing. Edward, Jasper, Logan, and Emmett all had their hair entirely covered with melting snow. Alice and Rosalie were leaning away as Emmett shook his dripping hair toward them. They were enjoying the snowy day, just like everyone else, only they looked more like a scene from a movie than the rest of us.

Aside from the laughter and playfulness, there was something different, but I had a difficulty trying to pin point what it really was. I examined Jasper carefully. His skin was less pale, which is probably from being flushed from the snow fight, and the circles under his eyes are noticeable. But there was something more.

For some reason, at that moment, his eyes flashed over to meet mine.

I wanted to look away — to pretend I was not staring at him but was frozen in place. We created a staring war that neither of us wanted to lose. While I looked into his eyes, I could tell they were not harsh or unfriendly like the last time I'd seen him. He looked merely curious again, unsatisfied in some way.

For a while we did not break eye contact until Bella tapped me on the shoulder, breaking me out of the trance I was pulled into. I looked over at Bella, while she signed, 'You're looking at Jasper.'

I responded, 'He does not look angry, does he?' I could not help but ask and was relived when Bella shook her head and signed, 'I don't think so.'

For the rest of the lunch hour I very carefully kept my eyes at my own table. I watched Jessica's conversation trying to distract myself from the fact that my stomach did frightening little flips at the thought of sitting next to him.

As the kids started going outside to play little in the snow before there next class, their emotions changed from excitement to sadness. It was raining, washing all traces of the snow away in clear, ice ribbons down the side of the walk way.

Once inside the classroom, I saw with relief that my table was still empty. Mr. Banner was walking around the room, distributing one microscope and a few slides to each table. I quickly took my notebook out, to finish a drawing for my art class. I felt a hand touch my shoulder making me almost jump out of sit.

I looked up to find the one and only Jasper Hale sitting next to me. He was sitting as far away from me that his desk aloud like last time, except this time his chair was angled toward me. His hair was dripping wet, disheveled — even so, he looked like he'd just finished shooting a commercial for hair gel. His dazzling face looked friendly, open, a slight smile on his flawless lips. But his eyes showed he was in pain. Weird.

As I was about to turn away from him, he did the one thing I would have never guessed he would do. He signed, 'My name his Jasper Hale. I did not have a chance to introduce myself last week. You must be Serena Swan.'

Did he just use sign language to communicate with me? No one has ever done that for me, besides my family. I thought he hated me, but now he seems perfectly polite. He just stared at me, waiting for an answer so I responded my nodding my head with a smile that I could not seem to hide.

Thankfully, Mr. Banner stared class so my eyes drifted to the interpreter in front of me. I tried to concentrate as he explained the lab we would be doing today. The slides in the box were out of order. Working as lab partners, we had to separate the slides of onion root top cells into phases of mitosis they represented and label them accordingly. We weren't supposed to use our books, and in twenty minutes he would be coming around to see who had it right.

'Ladies first, partner.' Jasper signed. Wow, how did jasper get this good in signing in one week? I pushed the microscope closer to me, snapped the slide into place, adjusted it quickly to 40X objective, and looked inside. I studied the slide briefly, and signed, 'Prophase.' I was showing off, just a little. I'd already done this lab, and I knew what I was looking for.

As I went to remove the slide, Jasper stopped me by gently grabbing my hand. His fingers were ice-cold, like he'd been holding them in a snowdrift before class. But that is not why I jerked my hand away so quickly. When he touched me, it stung my hand as if an electric current passed through it.

'I'm sorry, I just wanted to take a look,' he signed, after he pulled his hand back immediately. However, he continued to reach for the microscope. I watched him, still staggered as he examined the slide for an even shorter time than I had.

'Prophase,' he agreed, writing it neatly in the first space on our worksheet. He swiftly switched out the first slide for the second, and then glanced at it cursorily. 'Anaphase,' he signed, then wrote it down.

I grabbed the microscope hoping he was wrong, while, from the corner of my eye, I saw Jasper smirk. I looked through the eyepiece eagerly, only to be disappointed. Dang it, he was right. I held out my hand without looking at him, and he handed me the third slide. It seemed like he was being careful not to touch my skin again.

After taking a peak, I signed, 'metaphase.' I passed him the microscope before he could ask for it. He took a swift look, and then wrote it down.

We were finished before anyone else came close, well, everyone except my sister and Edward, who were currently talking to each other. I could see mike and his partner comparing two slides again and again, and another group had their book open under the table.

It left me with nothing to do but try not to look at him… unsuccessfully. I glanced up, and he was staring at me, that same inexplicable look of pain in his eyes. Suddenly I identified that subtle difference in his face.

'Did you get contacts?' I signed out unthinkingly. He looked confused, so I fingerspelled, 'C-O-N-T-A-C-T-S.'

'No,' he signed quickly.

I signed, trying to explain myself, 'I thought there was something different about your eyes.' He quickly shrugged and looked away.

In fact, I am sure there is something different. I vividly remember the flat black color of his eyes the last time he'd glared at me — the color was striking against the background of his pale skin. Today, his eyes were a completely different color: a strange ocher, darker then butterscotch, but with the same golden tone. I don't understand how his eyes could change like that. I mean, I know that some eye colors appear to change based on light, but light can't make you eyes change between black and gold, right? Or maybe Forks was making me crazy in the literal sense of the world. I looked down. His hands were clenched into hard fists again.

From the corner of my eye, Mr., Banner was talking to Bella and Edward, then started towards us. He gestured toward the interpreter to interpret for him, then said to the interpreter, "Ask Serena, if she has done the lab before like her sister" I rolled my eyes but nodded my head towards him.

After he and the interpreter left, Jasper signed, 'You hate that, don't you?'

I nodded, before I signed, 'I wish they would talk directly to me, instead of the interpreter. I don't want to talk about it.'

'So, it's to bad about the snow, isn't it?' I laughed at his attempt to change the subject, but I nodded my head to agree. I quickly added, 'Bella does not though, or the wet.'

'Forks must be a difficult place for her to live, but how are you liking it?' Jasper signed with curiosity in his eyes.

I shrugged while signing, 'Half good, half bad.' He looked confused, but still curious. So, I explained what I meant. 'I mean, I love the scenery. Everything is so beautiful, especially when it rains. But I hate being surrounded by hearing people, who judge me based on my deafness.'

Jasper was about to sign something else, but Mr. Banner called the class to order to illustrate with transparencies on the overhead projector, what I had seen without difficulty through the microscope. But my thoughts were unmanageable. I was in disbelief that I'd just explained my dreary life to this bizarre, beautiful boy, who may or may not despise me. He'd seemed engrossed in our conversation, but now I could see, from the corner of my eye, that he was leaning away from me again, his hands gripping the edge of the table with unmistakable tension.

When the bell rang, Jasper and Edward rushed as swiftly and as gracefully from the room as they had last Monday. And, like last Monday, I stared after him in amazement.

If you enjoyed my story, please follow to find my other twilight stories. Thanks for all your support.


	5. (4) THE CRASH

**Before you get confused, when you see "...", it means the person is talking and when you see '...', it means the person is using sign language. If the words are in italics, then it means they wrote those words. If the words are underlined in between "...", it means someone is interpreting what they said, and if it is underlined in between '...', then the person is talking and signing.**

When I opened my eyes in the morning, something was different. It was the light. It was the same grey-green light of a cloudy day in the forest, but it seemed clearer for some reason. I realized there was no fog veiling my window.

I jumped out of my bed to look out my bay window, and a smile grew at the transformation outside. A fine layer of snow covered yard, dusted the top of the truck, and whitened the road. However, that was not the most beautiful part of outside. All the rain from yesterday had frozen solid, coating the needles on the tree in fantastic, gorgeous patterns, like frozen water dripping off the branches after a rain shower.

I could not wait any longer to take a picture of it on my camera, so I practically ran to my closet to get dressed. I got dressed in my usual style adding a red beanie on my head. As I ran downstairs, I saw Bella with a frown, that seemed to take a permanent residence on Bella's face, probable from the snow outside. How can she not see how beautiful it is outside? Is she blind?

I ran in front of her and teased, 'What's up with this frown on your face. Turn your frown upside down.' I tried to bring the ends of her mouth up into a smile making Bella laugh and gently slap my hands off her.

Bella replied, 'You're in a peppy mood this morning.' I rapidly nodded my head while Bella and I both heading to the truck to go to school. While walking outside, Bella tripped over a patch of ice on the ground. I started laughing so hard I fall in the snow which gave me a brilliant idea to get Bella to see the beauty of snow. I dug my hands in the snow forming a snowball and threw it at her. I ended up hitting Bella's arms that she put in front of her chest. She glared at me but threw a snow ball at me to get revenge. Soon it turned into a full-fledged snowball battle with laughter coming off both of us. I had been, surprisingly, hit a lot with the snow, even with Bella being uncoordinated and clumsy. But then again, Bella is ever good at taking other people down with her lack of athleticism.

We eventually stopped throwing snowballs, because of exhaustion. We laid on the ground signing to each other about random things, before we realized that we have school to go to today.

My mind instantly wondered to thoughts about Jasper Hale and wanting to see him again. I should be avoiding him entirely like I usually do with hearing people, and I was suspicious of him for lying to me about his eyes. I was still frightened by his hostility I sometimes felt emanating his perfect face, and I was still tongue-tied whenever I pictured his perfect face. I was well aware that my league and his league were squares that did not touch. I should not be all that anxious to see him, so why was I? Then I think about him communicating with me be using sign language. I am still shocked that he learned some of my language just to be able to talk to me. Wow, I can't believe I am saying this about a hearing boy, but I think I like him.

I watched Bella carefully walk down the icy brick driveway, slipping occasionally. When she finally made it to the truck, she lost her balance, but managed to cling to the side mirror and save herself. Clearly, today was going to be a nightmare for her.

I laughed at her clumsiness, before I followed Bella past the icy road by hopping over the patches of ice and pulled myself into the passenger side of the truck.

When Bella started driving, I closed my eyes out of fear, but surprisingly the truck had no problem against the black snow that covered roads. Bella still drove slower than usual probably concentrating very hard on not carving a path of destruction through the street.

When we got out of the truck, I saw something silver that explained the reason the truck had no problem getting past the snow. As I examined closer, I could see thin chains crisscrossed in diamond shapes around them. I guess, dad had gotten up who knows how early to put snow chains in the truck. My throat suddenly felt tight. I was not used to being taken care of, and dad's unspoken concern caught me by surprise. Dad does not show his love toward us in words or body language, but he does this without even telling us. He just does stuff to protect us, which in my eyes is the best way of showing someone you love them.

We eventually stopped throwing snowballs, because of exhaustion. We laid on the ground signing to each other about random things, before we realized that we have school to go to today.

My mind instantly wondered to thoughts about Jasper Hale and wanting to see him again. I should be avoiding him entirely like I usually do with hearing people, and I was suspicious of him for lying to me about his eyes. I was still frightened by his hostility I sometimes felt emanating his perfect face, and I was still tongue-tied whenever I pictured his perfect face. I was well aware that my league and his league were squares that did not touch. I should not be all that anxious to see him, so why was I? Then I think about him communicating with me be using sign language. I am still shocked that he learned some of my language just to be able to talk to me. Wow, I can't believe I am saying this about a hearing boy, but I think I like him.

I watched Bella carefully walk down the icy brick driveway, slipping occasionally. When she finally made it to the truck, she lost her balance, but managed to cling to the side mirror and save herself. Clearly, today was going to be a nightmare for her.

I laughed at her clumsiness, before I followed Bella past the icy road by hopping over the patches of ice and pulled myself into the passenger side of the truck.

When Bella started driving, I closed my eyes out of fear, but surprisingly the truck had no problem against the black snow that covered roads. Bella still drove slower than usual probably concentrating very hard on not carving a path of destruction through the street.

When we got out of the truck, I saw something silver that explained the reason the truck had no problem getting past the snow. As I examined closer, I could see thin chains crisscrossed in diamond shapes around them. I guess, dad had gotten up who knows how early to put snow chains in the truck. My throat suddenly felt tight. I was not used to being taken care of, and dad's unspoken concern caught me by surprise. Dad does not show his love toward us in words or body language, but he does this without even telling us. He just does stuff to protect us, which in my eyes is the best way of showing someone you love them.

While waiting for the bell to ring, I leaned against the back corner of the truck watching the people in the parking lot. That's when I noticed, four cars down from me and staring intently in my direction, there was the still, white figure of Jasper Hale. He was standing next to a Volvo, underneath a blue umbrella with the rest of his family. When he noticed me staring at him, he smiled widely, flashing a set of perfect, ultra-white teeth. I smiled back, but frowned when I saw, from the corner of my eye, a group of teenagers laughing while pointing at me creating glimpses of little kids laughing and pointing at the 5-year-old version of myself through my mind.

I closed my eyes to pretend they were not there making fun of me. Just like kindergarten. Why would I think this place would be any different? Bella seems to be treated nicer then when she was back at her old school. People want to be her friend and all the boys seem to love her here. Why is it always me that no one likes? I bet Jasper is just being nice, because in his eyes, I am just "disabled", even though I am not. So many people pity me for being deaf, because they think my life must be so bad not being able to hear. Thinking I am useless to do anything, but I can do anything I want to do, except hear.

I was interrupted by my thoughts, when someone wrapped their arm around me and pulled me to the ground. The arm let go of me instantly after I was on the ground, and out of shock, I fell backward hitting my head hard against the hard asphalt of the parking lot. I pulled myself back up and I looked up to see a large blue van skidding toward me. It slammed against the back corner of the truck where I was seconds ago leaning against. The van was still spinning and sliding against ice about to collide with me again, but hands pushed against the van stopping it from coming at me creating a deep dent in the van's body. I followed the arm connected to the hand to notice that it belonged to, the one and only, Edward Cullen.

Black dots spotted everywhere in my vision, and I started losing focus of what was happening around me. I saw shapes of people crowded around me with red and blue lights flashing everywhere making my head like if someone was constantly punching it. My arms suddenly started feeling very weak and I fell back against the asphalt, not having enough energy to pick myself back up. I faintly saw Bella with freaked out and worried eyes signing, 'Don't close your eyes, help is on its way.' I managed to keep my eyes open, but everything was blurred, and it felt like my mind temporally shut down. For the next few hours, I went in and out of consciousness.

The next thing I know, I am laying in a hospital bed in a blue room with many doctors walking around. Next to me was Bella and dad talking to a doctor, who I would assume is somehow related to the Cullen's, because of his pale skin, golden eyes, and beauty radiating off him. I tried to pull myself up into a sitting position, but waves of dizziness washed over me, and I fell back down against the bed. The doctor came up to me and Bella interpreted, "Lay down, you have a concussion, so you have to rest for the next weak…" I know he said more, but the light in the room was slowly forming a sever headache, forcing me to close my eyes and rubbed my palm against my head attempting to decrease the pain.

While I was semi-conscious, I felt someone's hand rub my shoulder and someone else grab onto my hand. I do not know how long I spent in the hospital, because of me dozing off once in a while, but I spent most of my time trying to make the pain go away.

As I laid there covering my eyes from the light, I felt hands come underneath my back and knees lifting me up from the bed. I pressed my face into the persons chest and grabbed on to the shirt to keep myself from falling. The person carrying me slowly made their way outside and then gently laying me in the back sit of dad's police cruiser. My eyes got really heavy, but when I tried to fall asleep, the bumpy road prohibited me from doing so.

Once we got home, the person carried me inside and laid me on the couch. I slowly opened my eyes, and I saw my dad sitting on the other couch in the dark. Bella came into my line of sight with a purple blanket that she placed on top of me. I quickly curled up into the soft blanket and let my heavy eyes finally get what it wanted.

For the next week, I stayed on the couch with the lights off at all times. I felt a little bad about dad having to skip work for a week, because he had to stay home with me. Bella tried to convince dad to let her stay home from school too, but dad told her she had to go get her education. I hated putting them through so much worry and fear that I would never recover from this concussion.

All week, I slept most of the time, because it was the only time the pain went away, but when Friday came along, the pain seemed decrease enough for me to tolerate. At one point, I tried to walk away from the couch by myself and the dizziness felt a lot less powerful than before. Dad still made me go back to the couch, but I could tell my concussion was healing. By Sunday, the pain went away completely, and felt no need to rest any longer. I am ready to go back to school in the morning.

If you enjoyed my story, please follow to find my other twilight stories. Thanks for all your support.


	6. (5) DANCE?

**I am sorry I have not posted a real update in so long, but I am planning to post every Sunday. Whether it is one chapter or three, depends on the busyness in my schedule. I really enjoy writing these and I sort have forgot, but I am back. Thank you all who have commented, voted, and followed me. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you.**

 **Before you get confused, when you see** **"…", it means the person is talking and when you see '…', it means the person is using sign language. If the words are in italics, then it means they wrote those words. If the words are underlined in between "…", it means someone is interpreting what they said, and if it is underlined in between '…', then the person is talking and signing.**

In my dream, it was very dark, and what dim light there was seemed to be radiating from Jaspers skin. I couldn't see his face, just his back as he walked away from me, leaving me in the darkness. No matter how fast I ran, I couldn't catch up to him. Troubled, I woke in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep again for what seemed like a very long time. After that he was in my dreams almost every night, but always on the periphery, never within reach.

The next month that followed the incident was insufferable, mostly because I have found myself being an even bigger target for attention than I already was before. People were constantly coming up to me and Bella to see how we were doing, especially Tyler Crowley. Even though Bella and I have already forgiven him, he will not stop coming up to us to apologize. It's like he is obsessed with making amends with us somehow. He followed me between classes and sat at our now-crowded lunch table. Mike and Eric were even less friendly toward him then they were to each other. I wish one day they will just forget what happened, and I can go back to staying invisible.

The confusing part is that no one seemed concerned about Edward, though I knew Bella explained repeatedly about him being the hero — how he had pulled us out of the way and had nearly been crushed, too. However, everyone always commented that they hadn't even seen him there till the van was pulled away.

Edward was never surrounded by crowds of curious bystanders eager for his firsthand account. People avoided him as usual. The Cullen's and the Hales sat at the same table as always, not eating, talking only among themselves. None of them, especially Jasper, glanced my way anymore.

When he sat next to me in class, as far from me as the table allowed, he seemed totally unaware of my presence. Only now and then, when his fists would suddenly ball up — skin stretched even whiter over the bones — did I wonder if he wasn't quite as oblivious as he appeared.

This only proves my hypothesis on him even more true. He was only being nice, because he did not want to seem like the guy that was mean to the disabled. He wanted to make himself feel better, but he hated it, which is why he was rude the first time we met. He wishes his brother never saved me.

I watched him sometimes, unable to stop myself — from a distance, though, in the cafeteria or parking lot. I watched as his golden eyes grew perceptibly darker day by day. But in class, I gave no more notice that he existed than he showed toward me. I was miserable. And the dreams continued.

I really wanted to talk to him about his brother and the accident since Bella told me how Edward was ignoring her questions. If he did not want to speak about that, I still want to talk to him. Even though I know he does not want to be my friend, I still enjoyed communication with him. He is the only person here that I can communicate with besides my sister.

I actually wanted to ask him if he would be my date to the girl's choice spring dance, but the way he has been acting lately convinces me to not even bother. Therefore, I never crush on hearing boys. I start liking them, but they will never fully feel the same about me.

Bella, on the other hand, has made up her mind about not going to the dance. Many boys have come up to her and asked her to the dance, even though it is supposed to be _girl's choice_. Anyway, she says she is going to Seattle that Saturday. When did she make that decision?

Talking about dances, I think Edward wants to take Bella, but like Jasper he is holding himself back from asking. It's obvious, since whenever other guys ask Bella, I always catch Edward looking at Bella growing happier and amused every time she says no. I would not be surprised if he ended up breaking down and asking her. Bella would be stubborn and attempt to say no, but she would eventually give in as well.

I know this, because the only thing Bella and I ever talk about anymore is about Edward and Jasper. Oh, how Bella and Edward would be such a cute couple. Just like how I though Jasper and I would be, like that would ever happen.

For a month, he kept up this brick wall separating us, however, today seemed different. As I sat down in class, he actually looked at me, well more like staring, but I liked it. Cowardly as ever, I shifted my hair over my right shoulder to hide my face. I couldn't believe the rush of emotions pulsing through me, just because he'd happened to look at me for the first time in over six weeks. I couldn't allow him to have this level of influence over me. It was pathetic. More than pathetic, it was unhealthy.

I tried very hard not to be aware of him for the rest of the hour, and since that was impossible, at least not to let him know I was aware of his staring.

When Mr. Banner entered the class, he said to go to the parking lot because the buses are here for the field trip. Field trip? I must have been so focused with Jasper that I completely forgot about the Field trip to the greenhouse. I don't even know what they were thinking we would learn today. I mean we live in a forest. What difference will the greenhouse be from the forest, except for being less dangerous?

As we walked outside, almost all the students currently in biology were socializing near the buses waiting to get on. I stayed standing next to Bella and my interpreter, who I am assuming will follow me around during the entire field trip, so I don't miss a single bit of information given out. It is bad enough having them sit in front of me in class, now they are going to follow me around too. Lucky me, I guess.

The ride to the greenhouse was not far at all, just like everything else in this small town. I finally got some peace from the stares since Jasper and his family were in the other bus. But I still could not get him out of my mind. I wish I could, since I know he does not like me the same I do him. Recently, every though has been about him, which I know will lead to a very bad break down from me in the future. I hope I can get over him before then.

After sitting in the bus for seven minutes at most, I finally saw the glass building with all the plants, which are being protected from the cold, inside. All the students loaded off the bus and I followed the group of students inside the warm building. I took off my jacket and wrapped it around my waist since the temperature was higher inside than outside.

Once I got closer to the teacher, I could see him with a cup in his hands. He said, "Egg shells, and carrot tops. Compost is cool." Eric was on top of this machine with leaves and other stuff in his hands and put them into the machine, while Mr. Banner said, "Stuff that in there. Very good very good." He puts the cup under this facet coming out of the machine and this dirty brown liquid comes out, while he continues, "Now I am going to make a steaming cup of compost tea. This is recycling in its most basic form," Once it is done filling up, Tyler grabs it and attempts to drink from it, so the teacher says, "Don't drink it, its for the plants."

Mr. Banner walks off to continue the tour, but before I could follow after them, someone placed their hand on my shoulder. I quickly turned around to find Jasper Hale standing in front of me. He waved at me and I waved back while dropping my head, because of the small smile forming on my face.

I waited for him to sign something, but he didn't so I signed, 'What? Are you speaking to me again?' I think that can out a little ruder than I meant it to.

He responded, 'I'm sorry.' He looked sincere. 'I'm was being very rude, I know. I thought it would be better that way, but I don't think I could stay away from you.'

I tried to think of something to respond with, but my mind was completely blank out of surprise over what he just said. He wants to be with me. Can it be possible that everything I had once thought to be true is… false?

A response finally came to be, something I have wanted to know for a while, 'Why would you want to hang with me? Why not make your life easier and go with someone else, who is less… difficult?'

He laughs and signs, 'Because I want you and no one else. Besides I have decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly.'

I waited for him to say something that made sense. The seconds ticked by.

'You know I don't have any idea what you mean,' I eventually pointed out.

'I know.' He smiled again, and I got confused. but before I could sign anything, Jasper changed the subject, 'So, I heard that Bella is going to Seattle the day of the spring dance. Are you going with her?'

I raised my eyebrows, and signed, 'Why are you so interested? So in plain English, are we friends now?'

'Friends…,' he mused, dubious.

'Or not,' I quickly signed.

He grinned, 'We can try, I suppose. Now, about my previous question.'

I shrugged my shoulders, but responded, 'I don't know, Charlie does not want Bella going alone, but I really wanted to go to the dance. I know, shocker right. But I really like to dance, even if I can't hear the music.'

He smiles nervously, before signing, 'I know it's girls choice, but would you like to go to the dance with me?'

What?!

Before I could answer Jasper's proposal, Bella walks up to me making Jasper walk away from us. I just watched him exit the building, secretly wanting him to turn around and come back to me. I finally turned to Bella to find out what she wanted from me.

Bella signed, 'What's been happening with jasper, lately.'

I laughed, totally expecting this. Knowing her true question, I signed, 'Is this your secret way of asking me about Edward Cullen?'

She dropped her head trying to hide the blood rushing into her cheeks, making my laugh even harder. She quickly signs, 'Maybe,' before lifting her head back up to see my reply.

I stopped laughing and signed, 'I think Edward really likes you, but does not know how to act around you.'

She rolled her eyes and accused, 'How would you know? You have never had a boyfriend, before,'

I smiled while signing, 'I think I will have one soon.'

'You and Jasper, really.'

I nodded to Bella's words, while signing, 'Yeah, he asked me to the dance and I think I am going to say yes.' I smiled thinking about me and Jasper as a couple. I just hope nothing will go wrong.


	7. (6) LA PUSH

As I sat in my room, trying to concentrate on reading my novel, I couldn't help but think about Jasper's proposal. I wanted to go with him, I mean, I still do. I just — I just don't understand him, sometimes. His eyes — his stares — his bipolar tendencies. There is something off about him that I cannot put my finger on. My heart wants to go all the way with him, but my head is screaming "danger". How can you decide on anything when both halves of your mind are on different sides? I don't know.

I was not looking forward to Saturday, since Bella wants to go to La Push with her friends and Charlie wants me to accompany her. Well, I believe I know it will be cold, and being around the water will make it worse. I hate the cold, mostly because I get cold easily. It could be sixty degrees Fahrenheit, but it would feel like thirty degrees Fahrenheit. I am very contradicting since I love when it is raining or snowing, but I hate when it is cold.

Bella, on the other hand, had her own reasons for not wanting the weekend to come, which had nothing to do with the cold. Actually, she is happy that it is going to be hotter than normal, even if it's going to be sixty at the maximum. I don't know the exact reasons behind Bella's sadness, but I think it has something to do with Edward.

Friday came faster than usual, and Bella actually had a smile on her face since the sun was sort of out today. I am still shaking in my boots, even though it is sixty-five degrees outside then the usual thirty. I mean I like that it is less cold, but it is still cold.

When we walked into the cafeteria, I notice Bella looking over at the Cullen's table, and her face turned unhappy. The reason for this is pretty obvious, as I glanced over to the Cullen's table to see Rosalie, Alice, Jasper sat talking, heads close together. Edward is not at school today. No wonder she has been feeling down.

At our usual table, everyone was full of our plans for the next day. Mike was animated again, putting a great deal of trust in the local weatherman, who promised sun tomorrow. I'd have to see it to believe it.

At one point during Lunch, I was left alone with Lauren, another friend of Jessica and Angela. I guess they assumed that I would not understand being deaf in all, because they were talking about me. Lauren said to Mike, "Look… dumb deaf girl over there. She… forced on us, and we… punished… you noticed… teachers speak… slower… special needs girl… dumb to understand anything." They probably don't realize that I can read lips. It's exhausting and difficult, but I can do it. Before Matt could answer back, I stood up to find where Bella was, so we could get to Biology. During these times, I remember why I hate hearing schools.

That night at dinner, dad seemed unusually enthusiastic about our trip to la push, tomorrow. Of course, he knew all the names of the kids going, and their parents, and their grand-parents. He seemed to approve. I wonder if he would approve of me going to the dance with Jasper Hale. Not that I was going to get the courage to tell him.

'Dad, do you know a place called Goat Rocks or something like that? I think it's south of Mount Rainier,' Bella said casually.

"Yeah — why?" Dad asked.

She shrugged. 'Some kids were talking about camping there.'

"It's not a very good place for camping." He looked surprised. "Too many bears. Most people go there during the hunting season."

'Oh,' Bella murmured. 'Maybe I got the name wrong.'

I meant to sleep in, but an unusual brightness woke me. I opened my eyes to see a clear yellow light streaming through my window. I couldn't believe it. I hurried to the window to check, and sure enough, there was the sun. It was in the wrong place in the sky, too low, and it didn't seem to be as closes it should be, but it was definitely the sun. Clouds ringed the horizon, but a large patch of blue was visible in the middle. I lingered by the window as long as I could before Bella pulled me away from the window to get dressed for the day in my usual grey cardigan, simple white dress that just passes my butt, black stockings, and brown combat boots.

When I finished getting dressed, Bella drove us to a building with a sign that read, The Newtons' Olympic Outfitters, just north of town. In the parking lot, I recognized Mike's suburban and Tyler's Sentra. As Bella parked in the parking lot, I could see the group standing in front of the suburban. Eric was there, along with two other boys I believe were named Ben and Conner. Jess was there, flanked by Angela, Lauren, and three other girls. One of the girls were giving Bella a dirty look as we got out of the truck and whispered something to Lauren. Lauren shook out her silky hair and eyed both of us scornfully.

At least Mike was happy to see us.

"You both came!" he said, delighted. "And I said it would be sunny today, didn't I? We are just waiting for lee and Samantha… unless you invited someone."

I shook my head, while Bella said, 'No.' Clearly, lying through her teeth, but no one else seemed to notice.

Before we left, two more girls showed up and every sit in the two vehicles were filled up to the brink of exploding. Unfortunately, I got stuck in the very back of the suburban lodged between two people. To make my position more comfortable, I made myself as small as possible by bringing my legs up against my chest and forming a human ball. Even though I am not claustrophobic, I feel like it with nine people stuffed in the suburban.

It was only fifteen miles to la push from Forks, with gorgeous, dense green forests edging the road most of the way and the wide Quillayute River snaking beneath it twice. It was breathtaking. The water was dark gray, even in the sunlight, white capped and heaving to the gray, rocky shore. Islands rose out of the steel harbor waters with sheer cliff sides, reaching to uneven summits, and crowned with austere, souring firs. The beach had only a thin border of actual sand at the water's edge, after which it grew into millions of large, smooth stones that looked uniformly gray from a distance, but close up were every shade a stone could be: terra-cotta, sea green, lavender, blue gray, dull gold. The tide line was strewn with huge driftwood trees, bleached bone white in the salt waves, some lying solitary, just out of reach of the waves.

We picked out way down to the beach, mike leading the way to a ring of driftwood logs that had obviously been used for parties like ours before. There was a fire circle already in place, filled with black ashes. Eric and the boy I thought was named Ben gathered broken branches of driftwood from the drier piles against the forest edge, and soon had a teepee-shaped construction built atop the old cinders.

As I sat on one of the bone-colored benches, Mike come up to Bella and I and asked, "Have you ever seen a driftwood fire?" mike kneeled by the fire, lighting one of the smaller sticks with a cigarette lighter and dropping it carefully against the teepee.

"You'll like this then — watch the colors." He lit another branch and laid it alongside the first. The flames started to lick quickly up the dry wood, and the fire was blue. Super cool.

"The salt does it. Pretty, isn't it?" He lit no more piece, placed it where the fire hadn't yet caught, and then came to sit next to Bella. However, Jess was on his other side and claimed his attention. I sat there watching the green and blue flames crackle toward the sky.

After a while of people chattering with their friends or watching the fire like I was, some of the boys wanted to hike to the nearby tidal pools. I really wanted to go, but I knew that I would stick by Bella's decision. I was happy, when Bella started walking toward the pro-hiking group. Mike gave us a huge smile, but I could tell it was mostly directed toward Bella. He makes it so obvious of his attraction toward my sister. Does he not understand that my sister does not like him?

I stayed by Bella as we followed the group through the woods. As Bella tried to avoid falling down or having a clumsy moment, we soon started to fall behind. Though eventually, we broke through the emerald confines of the forest and found the rocky shore again. It was a low tide, and a tidal river flowed past us on its way to the sea. Along its pebbled banks, shallow pools that never completely drained were teeming with life.

Unlike the others who were leaping over the rocks and perching precariously on the edges, Bella was very cautious around the pools. As I saw Bella sat on the edge of one of the largest pools, I became spellbound by the natural aquarium below me. The bouquets of brilliant anemones undulated ceaselessly in the invisible current, twisted shells scurried about the edges, obscuring the crabs within them, starfish struck motionless to the rocks and each other, while one small black eel with white racing stripes wove through the bright green weeds, waiting for the sea to return.

Getting bored of the people, I leave Bella and wonder into the forest to investigate this mysterious greenery I have never encountered before. As I walked deeper into the woods, the glowing light of the sun disappeared behind the green leaved covered branches on top of the trees. For some time, I kept walking and enjoying the scenery around me, until I realized I have gotten lost.

I spun around in a circle trying to find the others, but I must have wondered too far. I started to freak out, but then I saw a black hair and copper-skinned boy around my age walk up to me with a confused face. I waved hi, then he started speaking, "What are you doing this deep in the woods?" I smiled, because I could understand his lips. I can lipread, but most people talk to fast to understand.

I pointed to myself and wrote the word lost in the air with my finger to tell him I am lost. He confirmed, "You're lost?" I nodded my head then he continued, "Well then, follow me. I will take you to the beach, where my friends are." I nodded my head again and followed him.

As we made are way back to the beach, the boy tied to make small talk with me, but it was mostly one sided. He started by saying, "My name is Seth. What's your name?" I spelled my name in the air like I did before, which he seemed to understand just fine. He spent a lot of the time talking about his life and La Push, not expecting much input from me which I liked.

We finally got to the beach and I could see Seth's friends and the people from school were eating food Mike and Tyler brought along on the trip. The group we'd left behind had multiplied.

Seth asked, "Why don't you speak?" I stopped and faced him, but before I could answer him, my sister came up to me with Jacob.

Bella asked, 'Where were you?'

I responded, 'I walked into the forest, and I got lost. But Seth found me and helped me get back.' Bella nodded.

She turned toward Jacob and asked, 'What did Sam mean before about when he said "the Cullens don't come here"?'

Jacob started biting his lip worriedly, but said, "I'm not supposed to say anything, but do you like scary stories."

'I _love_ them. ' Bella enthused, while trying to smolder him. Great job Bella, flirting to get information.

Jacob strolled to a nearby driftwood tree that had its roots sticking out like the attenuated legs of a huge, pale spider. He perched lightly on one of the twisted roots while Bella sat beneath him on the body of the tree. Seth and I stood in front of them, waiting for him to start this scary story. I could see he was trying to make this good by the smile hovering around the edge of his broad lips.

"Well, there are lots of legends, some of them claiming to date back to the flood — supposedly, the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on the mountain to survive like Noah and the ark. Another one claims that we descend from wolves, and the wolves are our brothers still, which is why it is against tribal law to kill them. Then there are the stories about the cold ones that are as old as the wolf legends, and some much more recent.

According to legend, my own great grandfather knew some of them. He was the one who created the treaty to keep them off our lands. You see, the cold ones are the natural enemies of wolf —well, the wolves that turned into men, like our ancestors. You would call them werewolves. The cold ones are traditionally our enemies, but this pack that came to our territory were different. They did not hunt the way others of their kind did, so they weren't supposed to be dangerous to the tribe. The treaty said that if they would stay off our land, we would not expose them to the pale-faces."

Bella looked confused, so she asked, 'If they weren't dangerous, then why…?' I just know she believes these stories are true, but it wouldn't be a stretch to what I have witnesses from Jasper and Edward.

"There's always a risk for humans to be around the cold ones, even if they are civilized like this clan was. They claim they don't hunt humans. They supposedly were somehow able to prey on animals instead. You never know when they might get too hungry to resist."

'So, what does this have to do with the Cullens? Are they like the cold ones your great-grandfather met?'

"No," he paused dramatically. "They are the same ones."

He must have thought the expression on my face was fear inspired by his story. He smiled, pleased, and continued.

"There are more of them now, a new female and a new male, but the rest are the same. In my great-grandfathers time, they already knew of the leader, Carlisle." He was fighting a smile.

'And what are they?' Bella finally asked. 'What are the cold ones?'

"Blood drinkers, but your people call them vampires." Right when he said that everything made sense about Jasper and his family. The eyes, the speed, the skin, the strength. Everything pointed toward Vampire. No wonder he acted different than the other hearing boys.

Before we went home, I sat on a falling tree truck and stared out into the blue ocean. I love watching the ocean, because it represents a serene but powerful thing that makes up most of the earth. The force a wave creates in the water as it pushes and pulls against the shore like a game of tug a war. How the powerful force of the water forms a soothing rhythm like a lullaby.

These are the times I enjoy being deaf. I know if I turn to look behind me, people are running around laughing and screaming. A hearing person would be annoyed or distracted by the loud noises, but I can enjoy the silence. No sound or distractions can interfere in me escaping this beautiful universe, that they would never notice or appreciate. If I could, I would stay here watching the ocean forever, but no one ever really gets what they want.

After a while of watching the waves charging onto the sand, Bella crouched in front of me and said, 'We're packing up — it looks like it's going to rain soon.'

'Okay' I jumped up. 'I'm coming.'

I followed the group of teenagers across the rocks toward the parking lot. A few drops were beginning to fall, making black spots on the stones where they landed. When we got to the Suburban the others were already loading everything back in. This time Bella sat next to me in the vehicle, so we talked on our way back to Forks.


	8. (7) PORT ANGELES

**Before you get confused, when you see** **"…", it means the person is talking and when you see '…', it means the person is using sign language. If the words are in italics, then it means they wrote those words. If the words are underlined in between "…", it means someone is interpreting what they said, and if it is underlined in between '…', then the person is talking and signing.**

When we got home, Dad was getting ready for the playoffs for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Detroit Pistons. I quickly hoped onto the couch, grabbed the remote, and put the closed captions on the television. Bella was already walking up the stairs, which I expected since she has no clue about basketball, and I got comfortable before the game came on. Dad smiled at me while sitting next to me to start the game. Sometime during the game, I fell asleep on the couch because of how exhausted I was from the La Push trip.

I opened my eyes to a familiar place. Aware in some corner of the consciousness that I was dreaming, I recognized the green light of the forest. In front of me, the atmosphere slowly got brighter the further you looked ahead, so I started walking toward the light to get away from the darkness behind me. Before I could walk further into the light, someone grabbed me from behind belling me in the opposite direction I wanted to go toward. When I turned around, I saw Seth with a frightened expression as he yanked with all his strength against my resistance; I did not want to go into the dark.

I may be wrong, but I think Seth just told me to Run. Why would I need to run? I kept pulling against his grip until he finally let go of my arm. Confusion and fear flew through me as he fell to the ground like he was in extreme pain. I tried to reach out to him, but he somehow transformed into a gangly wolf the color of sand. The wolf faced away from me, pointing toward the shore, the hair on the back of his shoulders bristling, low growls issuing from between his exposed fangs.

And then Jasper stepped out from the trees, his skin faintly glowing, his eyes black and dangerous. He held up one hand beckoned me to come to him. The wolf growled at my feet.

When I stepped toward Jasper, he smiled, and his teeth were sharp, pointed.

'Trust me' he signed, and I took another step. However, the wolf launched himself across the space between me and the vampire, fangs aimed for the jugular.

I screamed, wrenching upright out of the couch. I have had nightmares before, but this one seemed more real. Maybe the scary story Jacob told is just getting to me. Yeah, that's it.

I checked my phone, which was laying on the coffee table, to see it's 5 o'clock in the morning. The lights were turned off, and I was still fully dressed on the couch, with my shoes on. I kicked off my ankle boots, and I tried to fall back to sleep, until I realized it was pointless.

Since I couldn't get back to sleep, I brought my computer out to do some research on my suspicions of what Jasper is. When my favorite search engine pops up, I type in the word _Vampire_.

It took a while to get through the fake stuff from movies, TV shows, and games, but eventually I found a site with the vampires of different cultures around the world. I clicked on the site and I was greeted with two quotes on the home page:

 _Throughout the vast shadowy world of ghosts and demons there is no figure so terrible, no figure so dreaded and abhorred, yet dight with such fearful fascination, as the vampire, who is himself neither ghost nor demon, but yet who partakes the dark natures and possesses the mysterious and terrible qualities of both — Rev. Montague Summers_

 _If there is in this world a well-attested account, it is that of the vampires. Nothing is lacking: official reports, affidavits of well-known people, of surgeons, of priests, of magistrate; the judicial proof is most complete. And with all that, who is there who believes in vampires? — Rousseau_

The rest of the site was an alphabetized listing of all the different myths of vampires held throughout the world. There are myths about Filipino, Hebrew, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, and Italian vampires. After going through all the myths, the overall theme I learned is: Speed, Strength, beauty, immortal, and pale skin. The more I read, the more convinced I am about the Cullens being vampires. I mean, the notion of vampires existing is insane, but if you look back at the behavior of the Cullens, the idea is not so far off then you might originally think.

I listed in my head the thinks I'd observed myself: the impossible speed and strength, the eye color shifting from back to gold and back again, the inhuman beauty, the pale, frigid skin, and small thing I have never realized until now. How they never seemed to eat, the disturbing grace with which they moved, and how he skipped the day we did blood testing. The more this idea seems a reality, the scarier it becomes. What if he befriended me just to kill me? However, I can't stop thinking about how I was alive at this moment. If they wanted to kill me, then why did they save me from Tyler's van?

Now that I am 99% sure that he is a vampire, a majority of me wants to avoid him as much as possible. To say no to his dance proposal and pretend there is impenetrably thick glass wall between us in the classes we share. Although, a tiny part of me wanted to say yes and continue on the path of love. Because when I think of him, of his aurora, his hypnotic eyes, the magnetic force of his personality, I wanted nothing more than to be with him right now.

Now wanting to think about it anymore, I put my computer away and walked into the kitchen to make some lunch before starting on my homework. This school almost never gives out homework, except for the few occasional times like this weekend. It is very weird since my old school gave homework almost every day. The only thing I had to do was an essay over the theme of _A thousand Splendid Suns_.

By the time I finished, it was 8 o'clock, so I went downstairs to get something to eat. Bella was in the kitchen making dinner, and dad was on the couch watching another basketball game. I sat on the counter right before Bella signed, 'What do you think about the Cullens and the story Jacob told.' I simply shrugged my shoulders not feeling like reveling my assumptions about the Cullens being vampires.

After finishing my dinner, I climbed back into my room to go to sleep. I slept dreamlessly that night, exhausted from beginning my day so early, and sleeping so poorly the night before. I woke, for the second time since arriving in forks, to the bright yellow light of a sunny day. I skipped to the window, stunned to see that there was hardly a cloud in the sky, and those there were just fleecy little white that couldn't possibly be carrying any rain. As I opened the window, I could feel the warm windless air on my skin. My blood was electric in my veins.

Like normal, I went into the truck, so Bella could take us to school. However, today we were a little later than usual and I barely made it to my first class before the late bell rang. Besides almost being late, school went by as normal as it usually goes, except the Cullen's did not show up. Bella told me the others said it was normal for them to be out on sunny days, but it just felt weird and a little lonely. I hate when he is not here, which is probably the reason I don't care as much about him possibly being a vampire.

The Port Angeles scheme, that Bella is bringing me along to, is right after school today. I am a little anxious to get away from the small town with limited options to do pretty much anything. Hopefully, I can find an art store to get more supplies and a lot of clothes shopping, especially for the dance.

When school was over, Bella drove us home to drop our school bags while Jessica followed in her old white mercury. As Bella left a note for Charlie, I grabbed my camera to maybe take a few pictures of good relationship, which was due by Friday for my photography class. I was thinking to capture a true friendship with Jessica, Angela, and Bella to present. After we were ready, we ran into Jessica's vehicle. We went to Angela's house next, and she was waiting for us. My excitement increased exponentially as we drove out of the town limits.

The drive to Port Angeles was shorter than I expected, since Jessica drove faster then the chief of police, so we made it by four. This seemed like the times my friends at my old school would hang out together, except these are technically Bella's friends. The whole drive, I watched the three girls converse with each other about boys and dresses.

Port Angeles was a beautiful little tourist trap, much more polished and quaint than Forks. But Jessica and Angela knew it well, so they didn't plan to waste time on the picturesque boardwalk by the bay. Jess drove straight to the one big department store in town, which was a few streets in from the bay area's visitor-friendly face.

The dance was billed as semi-formal, which is commonsense, but the girls were confused to the meaning of it. While we looked for the dress section, the girls talked about Bella's love life, and the reason Lauren hates Bella so much. I got bored of the conversation and went ahead searching for the perfect dress to go to the dance in.

The dress section was not huge, like the ones back home, but Jessica and Angela found a few things to try on. As they went into the dressing room to try on the dresses, I went on my own search for the perfect dress. It took some time, but I found a few potential dresses I needed to try on.

When I got back to the girls, Bella was sitting on a chair just inside the dressing room, by the three-way mirror, clearly bored out of her mind. Jess had on a knee-length electric blue dress with spaghetti straps, and Angela had on a pale pink dress that draped around her tall frame nicely and brought out honey tints in her light brown hair.

Before I turned around, four guys passed by the big window in the room and started knocking on the window while looking at us with creepy smiles on their faces. I even noticed one of them carrying beer. Similar to the other girls, I got super grossed out by them.

Not wanting to think about it any longer, I went into one of the stalls and tried on a few of the dresses. I didn't really like how any of them looked until I got to the last one. It was a elbow sleeved, mid-thigh, red heart mesh laced dress with a thin black belt around the middle of my stomach. Once I put it on, I knew it was the perfect dress for the dance. I got my regular clothes on and walked out of the stall to meet up with the girls.

Once we put up the dresses we did not want, we headed over to the shoes and accessories. As Jess and Angela tried things on, I merely watched since I don't need jewelry and I am just going to wear a pair of my black combat boots with the dress.

We planned to go to dinner at a little Italian restaurant on the boardwalk, but the dress shopping hadn't taken as long as we'd expected. We dropped our clothes off at the car and Jess and Angela decided to walk down to the bay. Bella told them she would meet up with them in an hour and I decided to go with her.

We had no trouble finding the book store, but Bella said it was not what she was looking for. I could understand, because the windows were full of crystals, dream-catchers, and books about spiritual healing. Through the glass, I could see a fifty-year-old woman with long, grey hair worn straight down her back, clad in a dress right out of the sixties, smiling welcomely from behind the counter. Bella did not even go inside, and just kept walking.

 **Hey, everyone. I am sorry I have not posted in a month, but I have been really busy in school with no time to write. Now, Summer is here, and I finally had real time to write so I have spent some time writing my original novel, but I will try to set time aside to work on this story.**

 **You have until the end of this book to answer, but I would like it as soon as possible so I can start planning the sequel. I have been trying to find a gift for Serena when she turns into a vampire in the future of this story. I have come up with two so far (turn invisible, or manipulate kinetic energy) Which one would you prefer? Or, if you have another in mind please comment it. This is going to help me figure out the course the story will go in. Thank you.**


	9. (8) RESTURANT

**Before you get confused, when you see** **"…", it means the person is talking and when you see '…', it means the person is using sign language. If the words are in italics, then it means they wrote those words. If the words are underlined in between "…", it means someone is interpreting what they said, and if it is underlined in between '…', then the person is talking and signing.**

We walked along many streets for a while until we started passing a much of warehouses. This was a major sign that we were heading in the wrong direction. I think Bella realized this too, because she turned east at the next corner and then looped around after a few blocks going in the direction of the boardwalk.

A group of four men turned around the corner we was heading for, dressed too casually to be heading home from the office, but they were too grimy to be tourists. As they approached, I realized they were the same men from outside the store window and they were in possession of more beer. They were joking among themselves, laughing raucously and punching each other's arms. I scooted as far to the inside of the sidewalk as I could while grabbing Bella's arm to pull her with me. I walked swiftly to get away from them.

However, they didn't pass us like I hoped they would, instead they stopped while looking at us. One of the men came closer to us so I walked with Bella faster toward the corner. I found myself on a sidewalk leading past the backs of several somber-colored warehouses, each with large bay doors for unloading trucks, padlocked for the night. The south side of the street had no sidewalk, only a chain-link fence topped with barbed wire protecting some kind of engine parts storage yard. We'd wandered far past the part of Port Angeles that we, as guests, were indented to see. It was getting dark. The clouds were finally returning, piling up on the Western horizon, creating an early sunset. The eastern sky was still clear, but graying, shot through with streaks of pink and orange. A single car passed us, and then we were alone.

As we walked along the road, I looked above me at the sky which was slowly darkening. Bella grabbed my arm and quickened her pace attracting my attention. I realized with a shock that two men, who were from the same group we had passed at the corner, were walking quickly twenty feet behind us. I turned my head forward at once, quickening my pace behind Bella. A chill, which had nothing to do with the weather, made me shiver again.

I continued to walk as quickly as I could without actually running, focusing on the right-hand turn that was only a few yards away from me now. I trusted Bella to get us away from the men, so I just followed while periodically looking behind me at the men, who is still the same distance away from us.

We reached the corner, but a swift glance revealed that it was another deserted street. I could see in a distance, two intersections down, were street lamps, cars, and more people, but they were all too far away. Because lounging against the western building, midway down the street, were the other two men from the group and two new men, both watching with excited smiles as I froze like a deer caught in the headlights. I realized we weren't being followed. We were being herded.

Bella grabbed my arm and started running as fast as she could toward the busy street, while heading closer toward the four men waiting for us. As we got closer, Bella started to slow down to a stop, while taking off her purse gripping it in her hands. Bella nudged me behind her as she thought about an escape.

The six men surrounded us and kept coming closer. When one of them would come here, I would slap them or push them away. I kept doing that, but I know it was doing nothing to prevent the advancement of the men. Someone grabbed me from behind and threw me on the ground, accidentally scraping my left palm on the way down.

Headlights suddenly flew around the corner; the silver car was either going to stop or have to hit me. But the car unexpectedly fishtailed around, skidding to a stop with the passenger door open just a few feet from us. Edward got out of the driver sit, while Jasper got out from the back. When Bella jogged to get in the car, I followed and sat in the seat behind hers.

It was dark in the car, no light had come on with the opening of the door, and I could barely see Jaspers face as he sat next to me. Jasper leaned over to me and quickly put my seat belt on, before Edward put the car into reverse. The tires squealed as he spun around to face north, accelerating too quickly, swerving toward the stunned men on the street. I caught a glimpse of them diving for the sidewalk as we straightened out and sped toward the harbor.

He took a sharp left, racing forward, blowing through several stop signs without a pause. I curled up in the seat and wrapped my arms around my legs, a little frightened from Edwards driving. Jasper placed his hand over mine distracting me from Edwards crazy driving. Once seeing me look at him, he signed, 'Are you OK?'

I smiled, while signing, 'I am now.' I slipped my hand into his, because I strangely feel safer when around Jasper. As he scooched closer to me, I leaned into his chest liking the feeling he emitted into me.

Edward drove for a while, and I just enjoyed the feeling of Jasper and the vibrations radiating through the car. I closed my eyes to enjoy it more, but then the vibrations went away. I opened my eyes to see that we had stopped, but it was too dark to see anything besides the vague outline of dark trees crowding the roadside. We weren't in town anymore.

For a couple of minutes, I stared at Edward. He kept his eyes clenched shut, and his face looked to be filled with anger. He would move his lips a little that I knew resembled words, but from my angle, I couldn't pick up anything he said.

After a while, he turned the car on, turned around, and speeding back toward town. We were under the streetlights in no time at all, still going to fast, weaving with ease through the cars slowly cruising the boardwalk. He parallel parked against the curb in a space I would have thought much too small for the Volvo, but he slid in effortlessly in one try. I looked out the window to see the lights of La Bella Italia, and Jess and Angela just leaving, pacing anxiously away from us.

Before I got out of the car, I saw Jasper getting out on the other side. I unbuckled my sit belt and hurried out of the car as well. I looked to Jasper, who waited on the sidewalk for me, and signed, 'What are you doing?'

He smiled slightly at me, and signed, 'I'm taking you to dinner, is that OK?' I nodded. This could be the perfect time to get some answers off of Jasper.

I saw Bella facing the retreating girls probably calling out to them, because they turned around and rushed back to us. Their faces showed relief for our safety, but simultaneously changed to surprise as they saw who we were with.

Bella, Edward, and the girls started talking for a little bit, until I saw them walk away from us, got into their vehicle, and drove away. Jasper took my hand and led me inside with Edward and Bella following behind.

The restaurant wasn't crowded — it was the off-season in Port Angeles. The host was female, and I understood the look in her eyes as she assessed Jasper. She welcomed him a little more warmly than necessary. I quietly laughed a little at her body language toward Jasper. Trying to ignore the woman, I looked up at Jasper's face and I noticed his pained expression. I wonder why he always looks like that around other people.

Jasper's lips moved a little and he started moving after the host, who I assume was guiding us to a table. She led us to a table in a back room, which was nearly empty. I took a sit in front of Jasper, and noticed my sister siting a couple of seats away with Edward. The host leaned in a little closer to Jasper and said a few more things, but all I could focus on was Jasper's face showing more pain and suffering than before.

When the host left, I asked Jasper, 'Are you OK? You look like you are in pain.' He shook his head, but I could tell he was lying. Knowing the guy, who I have feelings for, is in pain, made me overwhelmed with sadness, but strangely was transformed into happiness just as soon as it came. How?

When the server made her way to our table, Jasper signed to me, 'What do you want to drink?' I showed him the sign for water, and looked back at the server, who I could tell was also going to try and hit on Jasper. As she spoke, I couldn't miss that she was speaking only to him, especially since she did not know I was deaf. I could tell, she would have done the same even if I could hear.

However, her actions did not push my spirits down, since Jasper did not stop looking at me the entire time. Even when he told her our drink order, his eyes were on me.

'What' I signed when she left.

'You don't feel dizzy, sick, cold…?' he asked, but stopped after seeing my puzzled expression. He continued after letting out a small chuckle, 'Sorry, I'm actually waiting to see if you go into shock.'

I laughed while signing, 'I don't think that will happen. I believe the time limit it takes people to go into shock is unfortunately over. Besides, it's not the first time when people think they can take advantage of me especially after they realize I am deaf.'

'I just think I will feel better once you have some food and sugar in you.'

Right on cue, the waitress appeared with our drinks and a basket of bread sticks. She stood with her back to me as she placed them on the table.

She spoke to Jasper for a little, before she unwillingly turned toward me. I pointed to the first thing on the menu showing her what I would like. She wrote it down and turned back to Jasper. He shook his head and she left looking dissatisfied making me laugh a little.

I picked up a bread stick and ate the entire thing in seconds, now realizing how hungry I was or how thirsty when I ended up drinking all of my water. The cold from my ice water was radiating through my chest, and I involuntarily shivered.

'It's just the coldness of the water flowing through me.' I explained, shivering again.

'I don't believe you,' he signed disapprovingly.

'Fine, that was the half-truth. I also get cold very easily.' I confessed.

Jasper was shrugging out of his dark blue wind breaker, underneath he wore a dark blue short sleeved t-shirt that revealed how muscular he is. Once he completely removed the jacket, he handed it to me.

'Thanks.' I signed, sliding my arms into his Jacket. It was cold, like the way my jacket felt when I first picked it up in the morning, hanging in the drafty hallway. I shivered again. It smelled amazing. I inhaled, trying to identify the delicious scent. It did not smell like cologne. The sleeves were much too long. I shoved them back, so I could free my hands.

'That color blue looks lovely with your skin,' he signed, while watching me. I was surprised; I looked down, flushing, of course.

He pushed the bread basket toward me, earning himself an annoyed glare from me.

'Really, I'm not going into shock,' I protested.

'You should be, a normal person would be, but you don't even look shaken.' He looked unsettled. He stared into my eyes, and I saw how light his eyes were, lighter than I'd ever seen them.

'Maybe it's because I feel safe with you near me.' I confessed, mesmerized into telling the truth again. However, that statement displeased him; his alabaster brow furrowed. He shook his head, frowning. As I picked up another bread stick, I saw him murmur something to himself.

I nibbled on the bread, while measuring his expression. I wondered if I should let on that I figured out his secret.

'I know you will protect me from everything that would cause me harm, so I feel safe around you. I don't care that you are not human.' As I signed the last part, Jasper's expression changed to worry and confusion. Wanting to put him out of his misery, I continued, 'Did you think I was not smart enough to figure it out? I know you're a vampire.'

 **Hey everyone, I just wanted to thank you all for reading my story and commenting. If you haven't done it already, please follow me so you can read my other twilight fanfictions. I love you all. Happy reading!**


	10. (9) SECRETS

To say Jasper looked shocked would be an understatement. When I finished signing, Jasper completely froze and did not speak for several minutes. He seemed to be contemplating over what I just signed. At first, I thought he was getting angry, but it turned into, well, I actually cannot tell what he is feeling right now. However, his first words after going into shock were, 'How did you figure it out."

I know I should not have, but I laughed a little at that question. 'The real question is how did no one else in this town figure it out." He frowned at me, so I explained, 'Since I have met you, I have noticed a lot of trivial things, like your eyes changing color, speed, strength, and paleness. So, it was not that hard to figure out once I got an accidental confirmation from a family friend.'

'Go on.' He signed.

I continued, 'When I went to La Push, I ran into this guy named Jacob Black, whose dad is one of the Quileute elders. Bella and I went on a walk with him and his friend, and he told us some old legends — trying to scare us, I think. He told us one about Vampires and mentioned your families. After that, everything about you, sort of, clicked into place.'

'Are you scared of me?' Jasper signed looking like the world was ripped right from under his feet.

I smiled lovingly at him before I signed, 'You are one of the only people I'm not afraid of. Not anymore. From the first time I laid eyes on you, I knew you were the one. The one I wanted to spend all of eternity with. And I am reminded of it every time I'm with you, especially tonight.'

'Especially Tonight?'

'You are always there for me. Whenever I am in trouble you are always there to save the day. Like my night in shining armor. Most of the time its physically, but also mentally. For some reason, I can never be in a bad mood around you. When I am around you all the negative emotions get sucked out of me and is replaced with joy and happiness… Now that I think about it, is this something you can do as a vampire, because that would be pretty cool.'

'Yes, I can feel and manipulate emotions. Some vampires have what we call gifts, and all of them are different in their own way. In our family, Alice, Edward, and I are the only ones with gifts. That is how he found you in the first place. He can read minds.'

'And Alice?' I asked.

'She can see the future.' Jasper responded before the waitress came back and asked Jasper something. I think she said if we needed anything, or along those lines, because Jasper responded, 'We're ready for the check, thank you.' She handed him a small leather folder from the front pocket of her black apron. Without even looking to see the receipt, he inserted a bill inside and handed it back to her.

When she walked away, he turned to me and asked, 'Are you ready to leave? My brother is wanting to go.' I nodded while getting up from my chair. Jasper offered me his hand, and I gladly took it while smiling like an idiot. I did not think anything of it, because Jasper smiled and led me all the way to the car.

He opened the back door and held it for me as I stepped in. He softly shut the door behind me and walked around the car to get in on the opposite side. I love watching him. I am constantly amazed by how graceful and charming he is no matter what he does. I love how the world could be falling about and I would still be happy by just sitting next to him.

Once he was inside the car, the engine started, and the vehicle started to move. I was so mesmerized by Jasper that I did not even realize Edward and Bella were already in the car. Edward pulled out through the traffic, apparently without a glance, flipping around to head toward the freeway.

As I looked out the window, all I saw was a blur. I turned around to ask Jasper about why Edward was driving so fast, but he pulled me closer to him and signed, 'Don't worry, you're safe. I will always keep you safe.' So, I let that thought out of my head, and rested my head on his shoulder. The entire way home, I felt Jasper play with my hair making me even more relaxed.

It took a while to get back to forks, even if Edwards insane driving. Though I think Bella mentioned something, because he did slow down a little. I took my head off Jasper's shoulder when I noticed we were passing into the boundaries of Forks. I turned to Jasper and signed, 'I wanted to thank you for the lovely evening, I had a wonderful time with you. We should definitely do it again sometime.'

'I would love that, darling.' He responded. I smiled at him, and he continued, 'I love how you blush a lot. It makes you cuter than you already are.' His words make me blush even more, 'There you go again.' I blush deepens and I look away so he cannot continue to stare at me, even though he probably still is.

When I could get my blushing in control, I turned back to look at Jasper and asked, 'Will I see you in school tomorrow?'

'Yes, I'll save you a seat at lunch.' Jasper answered. It was silly, after everything we had been through tonight, how that little promise sent flutters through my stomach, and made me unable to respond.

We were in front of Charlie's house. The lights were on, Bella's truck in its place, everything utterly normal. It was like waking from a dream. The car stopped, but I did not move. I turned back over to Jasper and said, 'Do you promise to be there tomorrow? I don't think I can handle another day without you by my side.'

'I promise.'

I smiled at him again. I saw Bella giving Edward his jacket back and remembered I also had Jaspers jacket. I pulled his jacket off, taking one last whiff. When I tried to hand it to him, he shook his head and signed, 'You can keep it — you don't have a jacket for tomorrow,'

'Thanks,' I signed before I grabbed the door handle to exit the car. As I was getting out of the car, Jasper stopped me by placing his hand on my shoulder. I turned around and signed, 'What did you need?'

'Will you promise me something?'

'Yes,' I signed.

'Don't go into the woods alone.'

I stared at him in blank confusion, 'Why?'

He frowned, and his eyes were tight as he stared past me out the window. 'I'm not always the most dangerous thing out there. Let's leave it at that.'

I shuddered slightly at the sudden seriousness in his eyes, but I was relieved. This, at least, was an easy promise to honor. 'Whatever you say.'

'I'll see you later.' I turned back to the open door and stepped out. Bella was already walking up the steppes to the front door waiting for me. I waved goodbye to Jasper and made my way to the house. Bella got her keys, unlocked the door, and we both stepped inside. I made my way toward the stairs and saw that Charlie was sitting in the living room watching a baseball game. I could tell he was speaking so I turned to Bella to ask what he was saying.

She signed, 'It's only eight, I guess we were not there as long as I thought we were.' I nodded at her and went upstairs to my room. I would have stayed downstairs and joined in on the conversation, but I was not going to try understanding him, especially since I do not have the energy.

I went through the motions of getting ready for bed without paying any attention to what I was doing. It was not until I was in the shower — the water too hot, burning my skin — that I realized I was freezing. I shuddered violently for several minutes before the streaming spray could finally relax my rigid muscles. Then I stood in the shower, too tired to move, until the hot water began to run out. I got out, and wrapped myself securely in a towel, trying to hold the heat from the water in so the aching shivers would not return. I dressed for bed swiftly and climbed under my quilt, curling into a ball, hugging myself to keep warm. A few small shudders trembled through me.

My mind still swirling dizzily, full of images I could not understand, and some I fought to repress. Nothing seemed clear at first, but as I fell gradually closer to unconsciousness, a few certainties became evident.

About three things I was absolutely positive. First. Jasper was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him — and I do not know how potent that part might be — that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.


End file.
